The number one playboy on the Peninsula!

Chapter 403 Daily Life with the Fifth Generation, Yuan Ying, Yeji, Yuna, Sakura, First-Class Innocent

After the rehearsal session for "DUMB DUMB" ended, Miyako Makoto's performance of Jeon Somi's challenge concluded.

He stretched, picked up his orange juice, and plopped down in a chair: "...How does it feel to debut again?"

Gong Cheng asked Jeon Somi curiously about her feelings about debuting again after two years... In his memory, since IOI disbanded, this foreigner born in 01 seemed to be worried about the future.

But now, after her solo debut, her face is more vibrant than ever.

Mr. Miyazaki has a strong sense of self-worth as an "angel who fulfills dreams"...

"If I could stand on stage again..." Jeon Somi raised her arm to wipe the thin layer of sweat from her forehead, her eyes instantly lighting up like a small sun. She sat down in the chair opposite Gong Cheng, her white hot pants still wrinkled from exercise, but that didn't diminish the excitement radiating from her.
"It's completely different from before! The IOI era was also an unforgettable experience, but the group's positioning would erase individual style, and we would fight over parts. Now, as a solo artist, from song selection to choreography, and even the expressions on stage, I can do it all according to my own ideas. Especially when I see the supportive comments from fans, aigoo..."

Jeon Somi grinned, speaking while clenching her fist as if she still had the energy from dancing.

It has to be said that life at Maze Entertainment is very free. The oppa and president in front of her made the same promise as when they had a detailed discussion about signing the contract at the beginning of the year: he would arrange for her to debut in the summer. In addition, when Jeon Somi cautiously asked him about some restrictions on artists, this guy casually said: As long as you do your job well, no one will interfere with your extra work.

"When IOI disbanded, I was really panicked..." Jeon Somi scratched her head, speaking as if recalling the past, then unconsciously swayed her long, fair legs, her white sneakers rubbing together twice, her tone gradually becoming relaxed as if she had finally gotten through it:
"Now I feel so relieved, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders~" She smiled and leaned back in her chair, "..."

Gong Cheng quietly sipped his orange juice, listening to Quan Zhaomi's emotional journey, nodding occasionally: "Going to the music show tomorrow, good luck~ Oh, and remember to go find Suzy and Su Xi later and challenge them..."

"The company will be taking on some business deals for you recently, so don't feel tired. We'll arrange a fan meeting for you next month."

He briefly explained Jeon Somi's upcoming activity plan. It wasn't that he was in a hurry to make money and gain fans by using Somi's debut. The main reason was that with the public opinion surrounding the establishment of Maze Entertainment, coupled with the good momentum of Somi's debut solo, she had already attracted a lot of commercial performance opportunities, and the offers she received ranged from high to low.

Hagi-sung didn't care much about these offers. How much money could Jeon Somi make for him? Mainly, in his eyes, these benefits weren't much. The problem was that Jeon Somi herself was eager to make money. After all, when it came to debuting, talking about dreams was too idealistic; most artists were after money.

"Don't worry, Oppa, I've been out of the spotlight for too long..." Jeon Somi leaned forward with her slender body, her voice full of barely concealed excitement: "If possible, I'd like to make a comeback at the end of the year."

Having finally joined Maze, she was acutely aware of the importance of this opportunity; otherwise, she wouldn't have left JYP without hesitation to find her own way.

"Alaso, take care of yourself." Gong Cheng nodded and agreed to her request: "If you have any problems at the TV station tomorrow, remember to contact me."

Jeon Somi glanced at Gong Cheng's expression of concern for his artist, couldn't help but pout, raised her fist and placed it in front of her ample chest, and promised, "Oppa, don't worry, I will definitely get first place tomorrow to repay your gratitude."

"Stop it……"

Gong Cheng wasn't particularly impressed by the cute and coquettish behavior of the 2001-born girl, and chuckled, "One? If this is how you repay someone, then I'm being too cheap."

He shrugged and made a joke with a chuckle.

But these words, when they reached Jeon Somi's ears, caused a lot of thoughts to wander. A slight blush rose on her fair face, she blinked her thick eyelashes, and lowered her head.

Not even one person needs to repay the favor?
How can I repay this kindness...?

"Ani, just kidding. Getting first place is quite important in Japan." Miyako glanced at Jeon Somi's downcast head and thought that her words had hurt Somi, so he smiled and explained, "Just try your best."

Jeon Somi raised her eyelids and pursed her pink lips: "I understand, Oppa~"

"What do you know?" Gong Cheng glanced at her with a puzzled look.

I was a little puzzled, feeling like I wasn't on the same wavelength as Somi.
Jeon Somi was a little embarrassed to say it aloud, and when Gong Cheng pressed her for an answer, she didn't dare to look him in the eye: "I really understand, Oppa..."

Come to think of it, during the previous Maze family gatherings, when this guy was drinking with Suzy, Sohee, IU, and Jiyeon, the topics these seniors talked about were nothing to her, a foreigner.

But it's clear that this guy's title of "Seoul's King of Playboys" is not an exaggeration at all.

Actually, during the dinner with seniors IU and Jiyeon that night, Jeon Somi felt that it was those two seniors who were seducing the oppa in front of her.
On the contrary, Oppa isn't really interested in them... Maybe one day he'll actually sleep with those two, but it'll probably be out of friendship, just to help them out... That's what Jeon Somi thinks.

"..."

……

JYP, in the president's office.

When Park Jin-young arrived at the company today, he watched as the truck convoy downstairs finally dispersed and breathed a sigh of relief.

After the junior colleague was exposed to have Yu Yu syndrome, the company's stock price plummeted at the opening... Fortunately, in addition to posting on Instagram to appease fans, the junior colleague also advised fans not to "protest" or "petition" anymore.

For several days in a row, these things were all over the trending topics. On the second day, after the official announcement that "Tarot"'s contract with JYP had expired, the company immediately issued a statement that "Tarot" had become a shareholder and director of JYP, which brought the stock price back up a bit.

"..." Park Jin-young sat in his executive chair, having already anticipated the brief collapse of the company's stock price.

After all, given the size of that junior's body, the impact and public opinion caused by his illness were enormous. Even though the company and "Tarot" were trying their best to appease the public and fans, the public opinion formed could not be dispelled in just a few words.

Park Jin-young reached out and tapped on the desk.

Actually, there's another very crude and simple way to boost a company's stock price... but at this moment, Hackie was really unsure because his junior colleague was too good at pushing and pulling.

Since TWICE's embarrassing incident in the meeting room... his third invitation has gone unanswered!
These days, every time Park Jin-young sees the online abuse directed at [Kouto Hideaki], his heart aches uncontrollably, it hurts so much…

Junior brother, what exactly do you want me to do?
How can we ensure the successful production of our crystallized product, ATM?

……

In the afternoon, Hwang Yeji and Shin Yuna of IT'ZY finished their activities early, changed into casual clothes, and went to a barbecue restaurant in Gangnam. As for the other three members, they were either busy with their studies or honing their singing skills for their first mini-album "IT'Z ICY" to be released next month. As for the last one...

They were then immersed in sadness and depression over the sharp drop in the company's stock price.

The two carefully avoided the crowded corners and went up to the private room on the second floor. After taking off their masks and baseball caps, Shin Yuna patted her chest, took a deep breath of fresh air, and finally let out the words she had been holding back all the way:
"Unnie, you said Jang Won-young asked us to go on dates with Oppa... I have a feeling she's secretly plotting something."

Huang Lizhi put down his bag, picked up a mirror, and tidied his slightly messy hair at the temples: "What do you mean?"

Seeing that her captain didn't shy away from the topic, Shin Yuna raised her eyes and said in a thoughtful tone, "Unnie, you know me, we're all girls, we shouldn't be so malicious towards each other."

"But, you said that Zhang Yuanying has Oppa's contact information, but she asked us to invite Oppa to dinner... And I always feel that she is so young, but she seems to be very interested in Oppa. It's a bit like what that weirdo from SM said, that she is a bit aloof and a little mean."

"But that mouth-like monster and the echoing worm aren't exactly good people either..."

She spoke her analysis methodically, and as soon as she finished speaking, Shen Youna quickly stretched out her slender, fair arm and quietly opened the door of the private room, peeking outside to see if Zhang Yuanying was eavesdropping.
After all, last time, it was that mouth monster who was talking badly about someone behind their back, and Zhang Yuanying caught her red-handed. Moreover, she wasn't in a hurry to go in; she was just eavesdropping. But now, thinking back on it, Shen Youna strongly suspects that she wasn't going in because she was deliberately waiting for Oppa to witness that mouth monster's embarrassing moment?

"Won't that happen?"

"How old is Yuan Yingcai? And he seems really ambitious..."

Huang Lizhi snapped the small mirror back into place and said with a smile.

Today's dinner was arranged by Zhang Yuanying. Her reason was that after learning about Oppa's depression, she wanted to comfort him together. However, she guessed that perhaps Zhang Yuanying wasn't influential enough.

She tried to ask her oppa out alone but couldn't get him to agree, so she brought in girls who were closer to him [ITZY]?
Huang Lizhi was also very worried about Gong Cheng's illness. He sent a message at the beginning, but it was really frustrating that Gong Cheng would reply to messages only when he was in a good mood. It's not that he didn't reply, but he replied slowly. Even when he did reply, he wouldn't talk to you like a close friend and share his innermost thoughts.

So after receiving Jang Won-young's request, Hwang Ye-ji mustered up her courage yesterday and sent a message to Gong Cheng, inviting him to dinner together. She also informed Jang Won-young, Kang Hye-won, and Miyawaki Sakura that they would all be coming... She was very anxious about the outcome.

She wasn't sure if he would come, but Gong Cheng's brief agreement made her somewhat happy. She couldn't help but wonder if, in his heart, ITZY was more important than IZ*ONE.
"Does being career-oriented prevent you from dating?"

Shin Yuna raised her eyebrows and retorted, "Isn't Oppa the best example? He's at the peak of his career, the whole world knows about his scandals and his ideal type, and he's also known for his hard work and strong professional skills, so there's no conflict."

Even though she's only officially confirmed one relationship with her oppa so far, namely with (G)I-DLE's Cho Mi-yeon, all those rumors circulating around the world, like Jessica Jung's second child or Yoona's, seem like they're just made up by marketing accounts.

But after her debut, Shin Yuna knew in her heart that many of the rumors might be true, or a mixture of truth and falsehood.

As for Tarot's ideal type, overseas media commented that "Tarot has a special fondness for idols."

"Don't get it wrong, Yuna. Oppa is a singer and an actor." Hwang Yeji helplessly raised his hand and patted Shin Yuna's restless body as she sat on the sofa. "It's different from being an idol. Fans have a different level of tolerance."

Shin Yuna picked up her coffee and took a sip. Her typically JYP bunny-like face suddenly gave a mature-looking sigh: "Yeah, right. Did Daily Gossip previously report that Oppa was dating eight women at the same time? Tsk tsk..."

"My God, how is this possible? This smear campaign is too much! But Oppa's fans don't seem to care at all, they're still guessing which eight people are involved? They're crazy~"

As she said this, Shin Yuna's round cheeks puffed out, and the corners of her mouth turned down slightly, giving her an absurd expression. Her bright eyes conveyed a sense of smugness, as if she were the only one who was sober in a world of drunks...

Daily Gossip: This isn't a smear campaign; all eight have been beautified, okay?

"Who knows? If Oppa doesn't care, why should we?" Hwang Yeji narrowed his eyes, blinked, and smiled. "Besides, a guy like Oppa is bound to be popular..."

Upon hearing this, Shin Yuna glanced at the unnie, pursed her lips, and tentatively asked, "So, unnie would like a boy like oppa?"

"When it's your first time filming a music video, you're probably working with oppa, right?"

She blinked and asked. Back when Oppa first debuted, with his rise to fame and worldwide popularity, this unnie also received a lot of attention in the MVs that were getting more and more views on YouTube. At that time, the trainee department was almost always gossiping behind her back, discussing her luck.

"Do you like it?" Huang Lizhi's face flushed slightly, and his narrow, fox-like eyes filled with a pale pink.

He shook his head, seemingly trying to cover something up.

Shin Yuna breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this unnie was actually quite amazing, not even liking an oppa? But Hwang Yeji's next words struck her, making her pause: "I don't know either."

"Actually, when I first met Oppa, I had just joined the company as a trainee, and it was really tough traveling back and forth to Jeonju every time." Hwang Ye-ji scratched her cheek, which was burning hot from the blush, and continued:
"Back then, Oppa had just debuted, but we actually met when he was being cyberbullied and boycotted. Who could have imagined that he would become so popular?"

She vividly remembers the time she accidentally bumped her milk tea into Gong Cheng in the elevator. She was terribly worried because the gap between a trainee and a debut artist was perhaps as high as an eight-story building.

Moreover, when she first joined JYP, being from Jeonju, she inevitably faced exclusion from small cliques among the trainees. If you worked too hard, were too diligent, and performed too well, you would sometimes attract jealousy from others. So she was really scared at first, afraid that she would be scolded and reprimanded by this oppa over a cup of milk tea.

But that's not how it turned out...

"Maybe it was fate?" Huang Lizhi quickly went through the scene in her mind and then relaxed with a smile. She took a sip of orange juice and said, "Back then, I often ran into Oppa at the coffee shop downstairs from the old company. We would chat for a bit when we saw him buying coffee."

“This guy has been on good terms with the TWICE unnies since then. I’ve bumped into those unnies buying coffee with him many times… But coincidentally, he doesn’t drink coffee much, and neither do I.”

She spoke of some things they had in common, her eyes sparkling, feeling very lucky.

Because of a cup of milk tea, I met an oppa who greatly helped my career...

"I was so happy when Oppa praised my grilling skills~" Shin Yuna said, resting her head on her hand, before immediately turning to her unnie and declaring, "Unnie, I'll grill the meat tonight, don't try to take it from me~"

Huang Lizhi forced a smile, saying, "Yes, but you should be worried about whether Yuan Ying will try to take it from you?"

She chuckled to herself. According to the local seniority system, the youngest is responsible for these trivial tasks. Although Oppa doesn't care much about these things, others might.

"Eh~~"

Shen Youna sighed slowly, shaking her head and saying, "If I were the one grilling them, they'd be so lucky!"

She now has complete confidence in her grilling skills, having not only received her oppa's approval but also high praise from the other members...

This is a talent that belongs only to her!
"Dong dong dong..."

“Annyeonghaseyo…”

Huang Lizhi and Shen Youna were chatting and laughing when there was a light knock on the door of the private room. Three figures stood outside the door, smiling and raising their hands in greeting.

Zhang Yuanying wore a light pink and white striped shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to her forearms, revealing a small section of her slender wrists. Underneath the open shirt, she wore a close-fitting white vest with lace trim peeking out from the neckline, which balanced the casual feel of the shirt and added a touch of girlish sophistication.

The pink baseball cap, with the brim pulled down slightly, fell just over her bangs, pressing the wispy strands into a slight curve, making her already round face appear even smaller...

"yeji ah, yuna~"

Jiang Huiyuan, wearing a baseball cap, a loose black T-shirt, and casual pants, looked quite carefree. As she greeted everyone, she wrinkled her nose and smelled the aroma of barbecue wafting around her.

Standing at the back, Miyawaki Sakura's light brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. She wore a strapless vest that revealed her abs, while olive green wide-leg pants were loosely tied around her hips, giving her a cool and stylish look.

She smiled and waved: "Annyeonghaseyo~"

"..."

Shin Yuna and Hwang Yeji also politely stood up, greeted them with smiles, and asked the three of them to sit down. They also chatted with Miyawaki Sakura, whom they weren't very familiar with. The atmosphere in the private room was quite nice and relaxed.

Zhang Yuanying, holding her coffee, looked at Huang Lizhi and Shen Youna across from her with a faint smile, affectionately calling them "unnie" repeatedly: "That's great, unnies! Finally, that annoying gossip and yes-man is gone..."

Kang Hye-won felt that what the maknae said was a bit impolite.

But then she remembered that the "brainless" and "unhappy" words from that smooth-talking, yes-man were exactly the same words that were dissing her and Yuan Ying, so she nodded seriously in agreement...

"Ha ha……"

Hwang Ye-ji and Shin Yoo-na gave awkward, closed-mouth smiles, unsure of what to say next.

They were afraid that if they agreed now, Zhang Yuanying, who looked innocent but was very scheming, might one day tell the two of them to the smooth talker and the yes-man, and then wouldn't they be the ones being talked about?
"Where's the teacher?" Miyawaki Sakura was about the same age as the others, maybe two or three years apart. Moreover, IZ*ONE and ITZY were girl groups of the same generation. The two groups had met quite a few times at events since the beginning of the year and quickly became familiar with each other.

Hwang Ye-ji was a little taken aback when she heard her question, but quickly realized what this form of address meant: "It'll be soon, Oppa said he was recording a challenge for Somi at the company, so it's probably finished by now, and he's driving this way."

Jiang Huiyuan paused in ordering, particularly sensitive to the topic of the representative. She asked, "How have you been lately, Representative?"

"I don't know, Oppa hasn't been to the company for a long time." Hwang Ye-ji shook his head, also unsure.

If I knew the truth, why would I have joined you guys to have dinner with Oppa?

"Didn't they say Oppa holds shares in JYP? He's a director of your company..." Jang Won-young inquired about the situation, but his taut jawline and straight posture seemed a bit pretentious to Shin Yuna.

“Yes, but Oppa’s position in the company is being handled by Dohyun Unnie.” Hwang Ye-ji answered the questions from several people in a calm manner, and added, “Oppa probably won’t go to the company unless the company holds a shareholders’ meeting. He doesn’t interfere with the company’s operations.”

These things have been circulating widely in the company. Dahyun unnie is becoming more and more like a leader. She even went to their ITZY practice room before and said righteously that since Oppa is no longer in the company, he can contact her, Director Kim, if he needs anything.

She will take action...

"that……"

As Shin Yuna listened to the group discussing the "Lock-Big" Yu-Yu syndrome, she couldn't help but interject with a serious reminder: "When Oppa comes later, don't bring up this kind of thing. He might be happy, but what if he gets upset when you ask him questions?"

She was very good at putting herself in Lao Da's shoes and thinking from his perspective. She always felt that Lao Da had helped and taken care of them so much in the company. But when it came to Yu Yu's condition, I'm afraid no one would like to be questioned about it to their face.
"..." Huang Lizhi nodded in agreement.

For a smart guy like Oppa, a simple meal together is enough to show he cares about everyone, and accepting that care is simply keeping the appointment. But if they keep asking pointless questions, then they're just being tactless.

And to be honest, Hwang Ye-ji believes that the three members of IZ*ONE sitting opposite her are not yet familiar enough with her to open up to each other and comfort one another. There are some things that even she, the female lead of the "Tarot" MV, cannot guarantee.

Perhaps, the only people who can truly enter Oppa's heart and get close to him are the unnies from the practice room next door, TWICE. Otherwise, it's impossible for him to entrust Dahyun unnie with the company's shares and positions so trustingly.

"Inside."

"understand!"

“…” Zhang Yuanying, Jiang Huiyuan, and Miyawaki Sakura nodded in agreement: “…”

……

"Oppa~ I've been thinking of giving you a gift lately, is there anything you want?"

Gong Cheng drove towards the barbecue restaurant in Jiangnan District under the cover of night. Zhao Meiyan's concerned voice came through his earphones... Pabu had barely accepted Yu Yu's matter, but he was still worried about her all day long. Even though his schedule was full, news kept coming in one after another.

Sometimes, Hagi Cheng even wondered if Pabu had been slacking off all along. But that's just how a mother's concern is—it's just like that, so sweet!
"...Let me think about it~"

Gong Cheng smiled and replied, "It's perfectly normal for men and women to exchange gifts. Boys also need flowers and gifts, and they also need to be loved. A gift could be a box of condoms, a room key, or a bouquet of roses. It doesn't have to be materialistic!"

Is that right? Family members... Waaah.

Actually, he didn't really want any gifts. Sometimes, Mr. Gong would contemplate life.

He has already received enough, in every way...

Perhaps because of this thought, his condition has improved quite a bit recently, according to Dr. Eiko.

"I want a trophy!"

After thinking for a long time, Gong Cheng inexplicably suggested the gift he wanted.

Zhao Meiyan's sweet, soft voice betrayed her confusion as she muttered, "A trophy?"

"Oppa, aren't you completely fed up with the Grammys and all that stuff...? You didn't even go to the Billboard Music Awards at the beginning of the month..."

Earlier this month, the Billboard Music Awards ceremony was held as scheduled. However, Tarot, who received eight nominations, was reported to be suffering from depression and used this as an excuse to be absent. The organizers expressed their understanding, as his online activities during those days showed him going in and out of mental hospitals.

When news of Tarot's depression spread around the world, Justin Bieber immediately posted on social media, "@TTTTarot, Bro~ I understand you (emoji: pink octopus)"

Zhao Meiyan continued, "Besides, where am I supposed to get you trophies, oppa?"

Gong Cheng parked his Aston Martin in the parking space, took his phone, slowly got out of the car, and smiled:
"A bra cup is still a cup, so why can't it be considered holding a cup?"

"..." Zhao Meiyan was silent for a while on the other end of the phone, then let out an angry "Yah!"
She instantly realized: "But I... I got my period today!"

Gong Cheng tentatively probed Zhao Meiyan's attitude: "Then I'll go find Zhixiu?"

Now, Kim Jisoo, Cho Miyeon, Mina, and Son Chaeyoung are in a phase where they've all laid their cards on each other. It seems that after the departures of the big star, Minato, his protégé, and Daegu's mother, the four of them have tacitly stopped arguing with him about these meaningless things.

Lord Gong thought to himself, perhaps the ladies were already speechless? Or maybe they'd just gotten used to it...

Despite his selfishness, he had heard Mina complain more than once that he was incorrigible.

But if only one female relative is left, then Master Gong wouldn't be Master Gong anymore...

"You're not allowed to go!" Zhao Meiyan exclaimed excitedly. Then, she seemed to take a few steps, avoiding someone... her voice barely audible: "I'll wait for you when I get home tonight."

"I'm not someone who fights bloody battles! What do you take me for?" Gong Cheng immediately retorted, which was a bit rude!
His conscience wouldn't allow him to do it, and besides, he's a clean freak, so how could he tolerate such a thing?

"Oh, I meant using the trophy... What are you thinking?"

Zhao Meiyan raised her voice in embarrassment and annoyance.

"..."

Gong Cheng hung up the phone, took off his earphones, and walked in through the back door of the barbecue restaurant. He then went to the private room according to the number.

……

The aroma of charcoal and the heat of sauce wafted towards me.

Shin Yuna, Jang Wonyoung... After seeing Gong Cheng's tall figure, the group quickly stood up. The most reserved among them was Miyawaki Sakura, whom they hadn't seen in a long time. She clasped her hands together at her lower abdomen and said, "Annyeonghaseyo, teacher."

"Sakura, long time no see~"

Gong Cheng called out with a smile. He already knew from Huang Lizhi's previous message that Sakura was here, so he wasn't surprised.

However, judging by appearance alone, Miyawaki Sakura is much prettier than the last time we met.

"Hurry up and sit down~" Gong Cheng saw Shen You Na shift her hips to make room for him, so he sat down as well.

He was genuinely curious; Yuna's hips were surprisingly wide, and combined with her height, it was really impressive. Among the female celebrities, there were others like her; Momo also had wide hips, which were very sexy, and Hyun's hips were also wide, but her legs were short, making her look more like a corgi. Some of her later movements required her to bend over and, with the help of the Daegu female celebrities, to stand on tiptoe with great effort.

Wine bottles at high altitudes are always a bit challenging.

"Aigoo, how many times have I told you, don't call me teacher..."

Miyako looked helplessly at Miyawaki Sakura and said something.

The title "teacher," combined with Miyawaki Sakura's Japanese origin, always feels strange... perhaps it's due to the invasion of Japanese action film culture.

When dating a Japanese girlfriend, you need to know that you should never bring your boss home, ideally there should be no neighbors around, you shouldn't introduce your friends to her, and you should never come home drunk, and you should also...

As for dating a girl from the peninsula, the roles are reversed. The woman needs to be wary, and her best friend and kind sister-in-law should be kept away from her boyfriend to prevent him from having contact with them.

"Yes, Oppa~"

Miyawaki Sakura's tone changed quickly; she blinked, smiled, and nodded.

A gentle look on his face...

"Let's eat barbecue, Oppa~"

Shin Yuna sat next to Gong Cheng, making it easy for her to pick up meat and grill it. She grinned, showing her white teeth, and spoke much more casually than the others: "Oppa hasn't come to the company to see us lately~ It really hurts us~"

"Come on, you guys have plenty of schedules. Instead of meeting me and bragging, you might as well rest a bit more." Gong Cheng picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the grilled meat. Actually, Yuna's grilling was just so-so, but his little brother had the personality of becoming more capable the more he was praised.

He likes hardworking girls.

"By the way, where are Liu Zhencai and the others?"

Hwang Ye-ji then spoke about the members' activities: "Ryujin has been having a lot of homework lately..."

Upon hearing that Li Cailing was heartbroken over her stock losses, Gong Cheng raised an eyebrow in surprise and exclaimed, "She's really bold! She's only just started out and she dares to dabble in stocks?"

"Unnie said it's for financial management!" Shin Yuna took a break from her busy schedule and ate a piece of grilled meat, thinking it was grilled perfectly, sizzling with oil. "If it were me, I wouldn't dare, I don't have any money..."

That's a rather pitiful statement.

"Financial management?" Gong Cheng clicked his tongue and joked, "Doesn't she know that her name is not suitable for financial management?"

"How so?" Jiang Huiyuan asked, equally intrigued.

Gong Cheng took a sip of water and explained with a smile to the curious girls in front of him, "It's a pun. Li Cailing sounds like 'zero financial management,' which means you'll lose money!"

The Japanese and Peninsula girls in front of him didn't quite understand Chinese homophones, so he explained it again.

Only Zhang Yuanying couldn't help but put the half-eaten piece of grilled meat into her plate when Gong Cheng said "Li Cailing = zero financial management". She covered her mouth with her slender fingers and laughed, "hhh~".

The sudden laughter was quite pleasant, but Shin Yuna, Hwang Yeji, Kang Hye-won, and Miyawaki Sakura all looked completely bewildered, not yet reacting.

Hearing Zhang Yuanying's laughter, Gong Cheng recalled the situation where Zhang Yuanying laughed before he could finish explaining. For a moment, his gaze towards her became somewhat strange: "..."

"Ah, so that's what it means?" Shin Yuna belatedly went through the pun in her mind in Korean and chuckled to herself. Kang Hye-won and the others quickly got the joke, and the room was filled with laughter amidst the steaming aroma of barbecue.

But soon, Huang Lizhi, Miyawaki Sakura, and the others realized what was happening and turned to look at Zhang Yuanying, whose eyes were crinkled with laughter. Her pure and beautiful face was now incredibly radiant. After lowering her hand from her mouth to laugh, she raised the corners of her mouth and looked at Gong Cheng with a smile:

"Oppa, that's so mean of you~"

But after glancing at the strange looks from her friends and that oppa, Zhang Yuanying's fair face showed some confusion, but she quickly froze, her expression awkwardly blank on the sofa—oh no, it seems she's revealed something.

Shen You-na was a straightforward and outspoken person. Her lively personality was not malicious. She looked at Zhang Yuan-ying with suspicion and asked curiously, "You don't understand Chinese..."

Before she could finish speaking, she frowned, looked down at Yeji unnie sitting to her left, who had already placed her hand on her waist and gently pinched it. Shin Yuna looked at unnie's face, which had a forced smile on her face, indicating that she should shut up.

At the same time, Shen Youna felt a slight elbow strike to her ribs from the "prisoner" beside her without anyone noticing...

It doesn't hurt, but I can feel it.

"..." Gong Cheng reminded Shen You Na, then picked up the tongs from the barbecue grill and put two slices of barbecue on Zhang Yuan Ying's plate, while changing the subject: "Eat more, Yuan Ying. How's IZ*ONE doing lately?"

He seemed to have discovered something interesting, but honestly, he wasn't interested in digging deeper into it. Feeling that she was embarrassed, he simply helped her out of the awkward situation.

"Kamsammida~"

Zhang Yuanying immediately composed herself, picked up her chopsticks, and took the roasted meat that Gong Cheng handed her. The look in her eyes as she looked at Gong Cheng was a mixture of gratitude and something else entirely... more dreamy!

A lingering fear washed over me. Luckily, that smooth-talking jerk and the yes-man weren't here today, otherwise, given what just happened, those two would have ridiculed me to death.

Miyawaki Sakura quickly recovered and smiled as she continued, "As for IZ*ONE, we're making a comeback at the end of the month."

"return?"

Gong Cheng used the tongs to put a few more pieces of grilled meat on the plates of Jiang Huiyuan, Miyawaki Sakura, Huang Yezhi, and Shin Yuna until the grilled meat in the pan was empty. However, when he put a few more pieces on the plate for Yuna, he rewarded her with a few extra pieces: "Didn't IZ*ONE have a comeback in April?"

IZ*ONE's development is quite good. With the success of PD48, they have not only attracted a large number of fans of talent shows, but also gained popularity among some members of large girl groups, placing them among the top-ranked girl groups.

Their second mini-album, HEART*IZ, released in April, topped both the Oricon Overseas Albums Chart and the GAON Weekly Albums Chart in Japan.

"Mmm~" Shen You Na busily stuffed the grilled meat that Gong Cheng had picked up from the plate into her mouth without any regard for her image. She chewed and chewed, her round cheeks puffing up. Then, without stopping, she picked up the plate of vegetables with beef and pork belly and put it into the hot plate. She then took charge of the grilling tongs and diligently turned the meat over and over.

Eat slowly~

Gong Cheng rolled his eyes when he saw this.

Kang Hye-won lifted his dry face and said, "Ani, CEO, we're releasing our second Japanese single album at the end of the month."

I wonder how my grades will turn out?

She still cares a lot about the group. Although she doesn't have many parts, her popularity in the group isn't low; she's somewhere in the middle.

"Oppa, are you interested in releasing Japanese songs in the future?" Miyawaki Sakura looked at Miyama Makoto with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

In Japan, many fans are hoping that this guy will release some Japanese singles or albums. However, in the past two years, he has released very few songs, even in Chinese and Korean. But it's understandable. Even though Japan is the largest music market in Asia, it can't stop him from becoming a global bestseller.

"I really like 'Lemon'~"

She spoke earnestly.

“We’ll talk about it later~” Gong Cheng replied with a smile, “There are no Japanese singles being produced for the new album we’re preparing.”

He spoke casually, but his words struck Zhang Yuanying, Huang Lizhi, and the others like a thunderclap…

Even Shin Yoo-na, a barbecue expert, was caught off guard by the news, which disrupted her rhythm of flipping the meat. She turned to look at the oppa who was standing very close to her. His handsome and warm face was nonchalant, as if he were talking about something unimportant.

"Is Oppa coming back?"

Shen You-na blinked her almond-shaped eyes, and after noticing a shiny, unidentifiable foreign object stuck to his cheek, she subconsciously raised her finger, touched his skin, and scratched it.

Under Gong Cheng's bewildered gaze, she innocently pouted, held out her index finger, the small sequin she had peeled off her fingertip, and showed it to him with a pout...

"The interior is about to return."

Seeing this, Gong Cheng didn't say anything and answered Yuna's question.

"When?"

Zhang Yuanying's eyes lit up with joy.

"The end of the month, it'll be soon..." Gong Cheng said, picking up a piece of grilled meat and stuffing it into his mouth.

The album's preparation is almost complete. We've been busy filming the music videos lately. Apart from two songs that have just finished arranging, we haven't had time to write the lyrics yet, but we can finish them in time. We're very efficient.

"The end of the month?"

Kang Hye-won's eyelids twitched. "Oh my! Doesn't this clash with our IZ*ONE?"

Shin Yuna chuckled and joked, looking at Kang Hye-won, she made a "no" gesture with her hands in the air: "Hye-won unnie, don't try to elevate her status~"

"Ah, of course we can't compare to the representatives, but it sounds terrifying!" Jiang Huiyuan didn't care about her teasing. She scratched her head with a look of fear, not even bothering to eat.

Hwang Yeji, on the other hand, wasn't so happy. She looked at Gong Cheng with some concern across her maknae and asked, "Oppa, is it okay to come back so soon?"

"You should get some rest..."

She muttered something to herself.

“Kenchana~” Gong Cheng smiled, his handsome eyes narrowing. He took a sip of water and thought about how, ever since “Yu Yu” was exposed, some media outlets and rivals had been trying to force him out of the music industry, manipulating public opinion and fans to suggest that he might not return. It was just like a couple of years ago when Hu Ge, that guy in China, was put on the spot, supposedly to study abroad…

The Akanas, however, were somewhat skeptical, and inevitably became emotional, making wild guesses. The women, too, were foolishly worried about his condition; concern can cloud judgment, and they were easily swayed by conversation…

Some idiotic media outlets spend their days speculating and spreading rumors, such as "Tarot was spotted on the Han River Bridge at night, suspected of jumping into the river" and "Tarot is emotionally unstable and has a strong affinity for Zisha pottery"...

Master Gong doesn't like being associated with these kinds of topics. Rumors are fine, after all, if you try to get close to me, I'll fucking sleep with you!
"I'm just sick, not dead..."

Upon hearing Gong Cheng's words, the others present instantly understood that he was referring to some attention-grabbing media outlets and topics online recently, and remained silent.

Because they've also been quite worried about this...

"..."

After listening to the girls chat for a while, Gong Cheng kicked the innocent girl who was busy eating under the table.

How inhumane are these talent agencies? Look how they've starved such innocent girls!
Jiang Huiyuan reflexively kicked Gong Cheng under the table, but after realizing what had happened, she quickly put on a pitiful and apologetic expression: "What's wrong, Representative?"

(End of this chapter)